Barney Butter

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I looove almond butter.

So does C, my little sister - luckily, because more and more schools are putting peanut bans on lunch.  C has pretty adult tastes at time. For example, she enjoys quiche and green smoothies.



But sometimes all kids just want to eat kid foods! PB&J sandwiches are a childhood classic and while almond butter and banana sandwiches are the shizz, the grainier texture of almond butter just isn't the same for classic sandwiches as the smooth and creamy peanut butter.

Barney Butter is the answer to our peanut butter ban problems. It's the almond butter that thinks it's peanut butter! But really.

It's smooth, creamy, just like your classic childhood peanut butter in texture and consistency.

On top of all that, it's something you can really feel good about making your sandwich with.

A winner of the 2011 Healthy Food Awards, it's chockfull of nutrients and healthy fats!

Barney Butter is also really fun because there are so many different varieties! I tried single serving packs of several of them, but they do come in normal-sized jars for daily sandwich creation.

There's plain smooth, plain crunchy, honey + flax, chia, cocoa + coconut, and vanilla bean. They're all delicious! My favorite is probably cocoa + coconut.

Oh, and did I mention that they're certified gluten free, non-GMO, verified kosher, and all natural? Because they are. And, again, completely peanut free!

If you have a child (or younger sibling), does his/her school have a peanut ban?

Do you have any allergies?

What's your favorite consistency of nut butter? I'm a crunchy girl all the way!

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A Grown-Up Halloween Indulgence

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Everyone thinks being a kid on Halloween is the best - you get to dress up, go trick or treating with your friends, and collect bags full of free candy.

Sure, it's great. But I'd like to make a case for Halloween as an adult being even better.

Think about it - you still get to dress up, but now you have either (a) the skills to make a cool costume or (b) more than the $4.67 in loose change your piggy bank to buy a cool costume with.

I'm a belly dancer this year! And yes, I'm totally rocking the costume all day long.

You also still get to hang out with your friends, but instead of having to traipse about in the cold, soliciting candy from strangers, you can do it inside at a party with a nice ambient temperature (okay, okay, parties can get a little too hot).

And okay, the candy isn't free. But assuming you have some sort of job, or have had a job at some point, chances are that you have a few dollars to buy your own. And then you can get exactly what you want! It's all about quality over quantity - instead of collecting a bag full of cheap candy that tastes okay, you can order a few of your favorite treats that taste amazing!

I recommend Caveman Chocolates Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups. They're paleo, vegan, and - above all - amazingly delicious!

Every order has five packets of two delicious dark chocolate cups each.

The ingredients list is short and sweet. It's just 70% dark chocolate, almonds, golden honey, organic vanilla extract, and sea salt.

Certainly more wholesome than the generic half-stale chocolate bars of childhood Halloween hauls, and also a million times more delicious.

The chocolate is rich and dark and intense, but not too intense. It's sweet, but grown up.

The almond butter filling is nutty and the perfect amount of salty, just like a really high quality homemade almond butter.



Can we just take a moment to appreciate that amazingness?

Caveman Chocolates is a small company started by two brothers in Pennsylvania, who still make every batch themselves. Pretty cool!

Check 'em out. They make all of their chocolates by hand, so you know every piece is high quality and made with care!

Have a happy Halloween, everyone! Whatever you're doing tonight, be safe :) And don't forget to involve chocolate!

What's your favorite Halloween treat?

What are you doing this Halloween?

What is your favorite chocolate treat?

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Mix Up Your Breakfast, Cali Style

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California is known for a lot of great things - beaches, entertainment, and absolutely delectable health food of every variety.

I recently got to try some Californian nut butters from the Central Coast Nut Butters!

Nut butter is not only delicious, but also really good for you! It's chockfull of healthy fats, as well as minerals and even protein. It's great for your skin, your hair, your overall health, and your mood!

Central Coast Mexican Chocolate Almond Butter is particularly good for your mood. It's so delicious, with the right kick of spice, the perfect amount of sweet chocolate (but it's sweetened with stevia, so this isn't a Nutella-like sugar bomb!) and just a little bit of Himalayan pink sea salt to bring out the sweetness. 

It's easily my favorite in their line of nut butters, though I really enjoyed everything.

My second favorite was also definitely the Sweet Spice Walnut Butter. I love walnut butters in general, but the delectable fall spices gave it that extra something for this gorgeous time of year!

Continuing on the fall flavors theme, there's the Maple Pecan Butter. It's like a healthy spoonful (or sandwich slathering) of pecan pie!

But this one you can feel good about having for breakfast everyday, not just on Black Friday.

If you're a fan of icing, but want a healthy alternative (this is also sweetened with stevia and made with heart-healthy nuts), definitely try the Lemon Coconut Cashew Butter.

Cashews are a very mild nut, to start with, and make for a mild nut butter. This allows the flavors of the lemon and the coconut to shine through and the sweetness from the stevia turns the spread into something that tastes like an indulgent cupcake icing. But it's healthy!

As the holidays approach, keep an eye out for the seasonally-available Dark Chocolate Mint Almond Butter. It's a real treat!

The rich chocolate flavor paired with almonds and just the right amount of mint would delight even the Grinch before his heart grew three sizes!

The company is also a woman-owned small business, so that's another great reason to try one of these delicious nut butters!

What's your favorite kind of nut butter?

Do you prefer plain or flavored nut butters?

What do you like to pair nut butters with best?

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Organic Munching!

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Sugar-free, artificial sweetener-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, healthy desserts: now there's something you don't see everyday.

But wouldn't it be cool if you did?

I mean, I love desserts. But there's only so much sugar that even a sweet-tooth crazed girl like me can take and still call herself healthy!

Mom's Organic Munchies provides a perfect solution - the sorts of healthy indulgences that come with all the rich, chocolatey deliciousness we love and none of the weighed-down feelings or sugar buzzes that we don't!



I first learnt of Mom's Organic Munchies when I spotted their Skinny Mint Cookie in the prepared foods section of Whole Food's during a recent grocery run.

Of course I took a double-take. Hello! It's a giant Thin Mint Cookie (the size of my palm and with nice thickness, too) - and it claims to be healthy?!

Whaaaa-aaaaat?

Despite the rich, creamy chocolate and the sweet and the rich, chewy mint cookie underneath, this super sumptuous, scrumptious, satisfying treat is all natural, all healthy (check out that fiber!) and includes ingredients like garbanzo bean flour and applesauce!

Trust me, you can't tell.



Your taste buds will think you're eating the ultimate Thin Mint Cookie, but you'll know that your treat has more fiber than a slice of whole wheat bread and less calories than the average energy bar.

If you want to experience real nirvana, try it frozen.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

If you want just straight-up chocolate, Mom's Organic Munchies also makes two pure chocolate bars.

There's Choco-Fit Espresso, a coffee lover's dark chocolate dream.



With only 1g of sugar in the whole good-sized bar!



I had to keep double-checking that, this nutrition label felt like a foodie's April Fool's joke to me.

The bar isn't overly sweet (you certainly won't be confusing it with Hershey's) but it's sweet enough (it definitely doesn't taste like only 1g of sugar) and so, so, so rich and creamy! Even out of the freezer, it's absolutely delicious and melts in your mouth.

In case you're not so into espresso, there's also the Choco-Fit Almond Sea Salt.



Again, this large 2oz chocolate bar (double the usual) comes with only 1g of sugar and a whole lot of healthiness - like 28% of your RDI for fiber! Can Hershey's boast that? I think not.



And this bar is studded with big, roasted almonds.



Talk about getting your healthy fats (for your hair, skin, brain, eyes, etc.) in!

I get to eat these ridiculously delicious chocolate bars and chalk it up as part of my beauty routine? Count me in!

In case you don't like chocolate (what's wrong with you?) Mom's Organic Munchies also makes some really delicious non-chocolate treats.

Like the Krunch Bar. 

Rice Krispie Treats won't even know what hit them.

A whopping 3g of fiber. Only 3g of sugar.  Heart healthy fats from organic almond butter, cashew butter, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds. Sweet, fruity chewiness from organic dried cranberries and apples. Hearty organic gluten free brown rice crisps.

What can I say? Rice Krispie Treats just didn't stand a chance.

The On-The-Go Goji Pistachio Energy Bars are super rich and indulgent. They're all about the healthy fats, so they're really satisfying and pretty much the definition of a stick-to-your-ribs vegan food. With only 5g of sugar, it's the sort of energy that stays with you all day - no energy dips here!

It almost tastes like eating straight-up nut butter with dried fruits and crunchy bits (nuts and seeds!) mixed in.

Well, that's probably because that's essentially what it is! I didn't try this (I ate the bar up before I got the chance - it's so tasty all by itself) but I bet you could melt it and used it as a spread if you wanted to...

In case you do want some chocolate, but you can't handle the choco-intensity of their chocolate bars and Skinny Mint Cookie, there's the Choco-Chunk Hemp Cookie.



Don't diss it just because it's a hemp cookie and sounds like crunchy-granola hippie food.

It doesn't taste like it.

Or if this is what crunchy-granola hippie food tastes like, let's all be crunchy-granola hippies.

How is this so healthy??? 

It tastes like a buttery, nutty jumbo chocolate chip cookie (the kind Santa only wishes you'd leave out for him on Christmas Eve), but it's full of healthy fats, free of sugar, it's vegan, and it's probably even paleo.

I'm not paleo, but if any of you out there are, please weigh in - is it paleo? It's low-carb and flour-free, which is why I'm thinking it just might be...

Anywho, it's AMAZING.

Like everything Mom's Organic Munchies makes!

As always, this is 100% my unfiltered, unadulterated opinion. While I received samples to try, I was not compensated for this review and not in any way obligated to write anything positive (or to write anything at all). I write it as I taste it, no fudging here! 

Have you tried Mom's Organic Munchies Treats?

Do you prefer chocolate treats or non-chocolate treats?

How do you find new products? At the store (Whole Foods impulse buys, anyone)? From blogs? From commercials?

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Vegan Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Surprise Protein Pancakes

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So this recipe has an epic-ly long name.

Vegan Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Surprise Protein Pancakes

If you've been reading Living, Learning, Eating, you may remember that I promised you this recipe a while ago.

Like a month ago.

Hey, life happens!

Anyway, here it is!

Vegan Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Surprise Protein Pancakes (serves 1)

* 1 packet Vega Nutritional Shake (I used French Vanilla)

* 2 Tbsp. Old-Fashioned Oats

* 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

* 1 heaping Tbsp. Almond Butter (I used Justin's Maple Almond Butter - probably more like 1.5 Tbsp)

* 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

* 1/4 c. soy milk (I used CalNaturale Svelte French Vanilla)

* 1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate (I used 1 block of Baker's Unsweetened)

* 1 Tbsp. sugar (or alternative sweetener of choice - honey or maple syrup should be fine, just reduce the liquid a bit)

* 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

* sprinkle salt

* oil for cooking

1) Mix ingredients in a medium-sized bowl (don't overmix, it will mess with the texture - instead, mix the dry ingredients first and then mix the wet ones in after).

2) Heat oil in a pan over medium heat (it's tempting to go hotter, but then your pancakes might not cook evenly).

3) Ladle batter into hot oil.

4) Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

5) Serve warm!

These were so delicious and so flavorful that no syrup or toppings were needed (though you are, of course, free to add anything you like).

I love the great vegan protein and veggies that using the Vega Nutritional Shake mix instead of flour adds! And the smooth french vanilla flavor is great, too.

Yummy! 

And don't you just love the thickness of these pancakes? I do! 

They taste so indulgent, but are so good for you.

Do you prefer thick or thin pancakes?

What's your favorite type of pancake? I think chocolate chip pancakes are pretty awesome!

What do you top your pancakes with?

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3 Easy Happiness Tips and a 22 Days Review

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It's the first Monday after the holidays and, for a lot of us, that means we're headed back to work/school/real life. Here are 3 quick tips to bring some of that holiday good cheer with you into the New Year!

1) Make time for yourself.
The holidays are (hopefully) a great time to relax, but we all have to head back into the real world eventually. Keep that calm, laid back feeling by making a little time for yourself every day - whether it's a bubble bath, a leisurely dinner, or a chapter of a just-for-fun book (even Harlequin novels are allowed, You Time is a judgment-free zone!) you're worth it.

Source: tumblr.com via Live on Pinterest

2) Get enough sleep.
There are a million and one reasons why you have to stay up that extra hour late or wake up that hour early. Believe me, I know. But sleep is important! You'll be healthier, happier, and more productive if you try to stick to those seven hours a night. And you might even live longer!

3) Collaborate, don't compare.
Instead of comparing yourself to your peers, coworkers, siblings, etc., remember that you're all different people and all just right just the way you are. Collaborate with each other instead of envying each other! You'll get so much more done, make more friends/better relationships, and be so much happier with your life!

And here's a bonus tip - have lots of yummy, healthy treats! I know yummy bars make me happy.

Like the vegan protein bars from 22 Days Nutrition!

The bars are organic and made with healthy, raw superfoods. Instead of high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, and ingredients with names you can't pronounce, 22 Days Nutrition bars are made of dried fruits, nut butters and nuts, hemp protein, and other good stuff!



There are 6 yummy flavors:

Cherry Chocolate Bliss - The first ingredient in this bar is almond butter and you can taste it. The almond and the cherry pair delightfully and fans of cherry cordials will enjoy the addition of the chocolate. Yum :)



Daily Mocha Mantra - This one is probably my favorite bar, or at least one of them. It's sweet and decadent like a dessert, and the coffee and chocolate flavor pair perfectly. It's predominantly chocolate, but the coffee flavor is still there and just serves to make that dark chocolate taste even yummier!



Enlightened Pumpkinseed - If you like pumpkin seeds, you'll love this bar! The pumpkin seeds and cashews pair really well and the organic coconut syrup lends delicious sweetness that won't send your blood sugar on a roller coaster ride.

Fruit Nut Karma - This one is great if you're in the mood for a trail mix type of fruit-and-nut bar. Based on dates, almonds, and cashews, it's filling and sweet and satisfying. The mango and pineapple add that tropical something (so you can pretend you're still on vacation!) and the pecan tastes great with the mango.

Goji Mate Firecracker - There's actually yerba mate tea in these. How's that for cool?? Between the energizing tea and the organic dried fruits, cashew butter, and gluten-free oats, these are a great choice for giving you that energy you need when you have a lot on your plate!



Nut Butter Buddha Crunch - This one is great if you're craving nuts. It's like eating mixed nut butters in solid form, covered with chocolate! Nuts and chocolate are a winning combo (as Reese's knows) but when you do it 22 Days style, it can also be a really healthful combo!

Nutrition Facts for Englightened Pumpkinseed (they're all pretty similar)

In terms of nutritional stats, the bars are pretty great. They're all around 220-250 calories, pretty standard for an average sized fruit-and-nut bar (like these), and that comes with about 5g of protein (give or take), 20-25% of your dietary fiber for the day, and 10-15g of sugar. That's not the lowest sugar bar out there, but these are healthy, natural sugars and it's better to have a little more of those than a bunch of sucralose or aspartame.

My verdict? It won't take 22 days - not even 22 seconds - to make 22 Days Nutrition bars a healthy habit you'll want to keep!

What's your favorite bar at the moment?

What's one go-to happiness tip you'd like to share?

Are you back to work/school today? If not, when?

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